Saturday, December 25, 2010
About Christmas
It wasn’t the day
Or the hour
Of His birth that we remember
It isn’t who knelt
By His manger in worship
The matter or circumstance
Of His parentage is miraculous
But it’s beside the point
Each and every Christmas
We think back Two thousand years
And see
God
In His great Love
Removed His glorious raiment
Clothing Himself in flesh
Stepping off His mighty throne
To stand as an equal amongst us
He knew that He would face betrayal
Since before time began
It was already His Plan
To come and die
And rise victorious
Bringing Salvation
For all mankind
So
In essence
Each Christmas
We remember His sacrifice
His mercy
But most of all
We remember HIS LOVE
Monday, August 23, 2010
An Unwelcome Reality
In the face of a changing world
Where do you stand?
In the inevitability of our cultural extinction
What will you do?
Could you imagine yourself a refugee?
Assimilated into another nation
Just because yours lies hidden beneath the waves
Could you bear the harshness of asphalt under your bare feet –
And not the intimacy of sand shifting in the sun?
Can you imagine our children speaking foreign tongues –
But not the one spoken in these isles for thousands of years?
Our cultural heritage steeped in custom and tradition
Relegated to the dusty shelves of museums
Soon to be forgotten with the passing of time
The idea that our islands are sinking seems a farce
But the harsh reality seems closer than we had earlier thought
They’re giving us 50 years to move on to survive
Five decades to farewell our sacred groves
Five decades to mourn our dead long gone
Five decades to watch our land occupied over four thousand years ago disappear
50 years of heartache and pain
To set our house in order before we leave
This is our unwelcome reality
Where do you stand?
In the inevitability of our cultural extinction
What will you do?
Could you imagine yourself a refugee?
Assimilated into another nation
Just because yours lies hidden beneath the waves
Could you bear the harshness of asphalt under your bare feet –
And not the intimacy of sand shifting in the sun?
Can you imagine our children speaking foreign tongues –
But not the one spoken in these isles for thousands of years?
Our cultural heritage steeped in custom and tradition
Relegated to the dusty shelves of museums
Soon to be forgotten with the passing of time
The idea that our islands are sinking seems a farce
But the harsh reality seems closer than we had earlier thought
They’re giving us 50 years to move on to survive
Five decades to farewell our sacred groves
Five decades to mourn our dead long gone
Five decades to watch our land occupied over four thousand years ago disappear
50 years of heartache and pain
To set our house in order before we leave
This is our unwelcome reality
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
For Grog
This is my ode to the national drink
To the juice that makes you squint, squirm and lower your head in shame
Only to rise in proud stance to the call TAKI
This is for the first timers and avid fans
For those who wear their badges in scaled degrees
On their hands and knees (all over in fact)
This is for the conversations that flow along with the drink
Slowly winding down to a quiet contemplation
Each person wondering whose brave enough to call the next round
TAKI
The magic word sounds
The drink of the gods pours down
The poison spins round
This, well this is for the sounds of the frantic search for chaser
This is for the crackle of sweet wrappers
And the suckling sounds of mango skin sucked dry of all flavour
This is for the various ways of drinking
Some like they want to swallow the bilo along with the juice
Other’s like sipping hot tea
This is for the grimace and complaints of a strong mix, or the odd call that it’s too waicala
Served high tide, low tide, or in between
The levels dropping as the hours fly
This is for the different sized bilos used
And even the variety of substitutes
Ranging from mugs to porcelain bowls
Even the odd wine glass for the classy connoisseur
This is for the odd bucket, basins
And other odds and ends
That serves as the majestic tanoa
This is for reconciliation
For the weddings, funerals, birthdays, anniversaries
Class or family reunions, the odd encounter
The coincidental meet at the market
Rugby World Cups, Super 14’s and other rugby championships
And those moments when our thirst gets the better of us
This is for the yaqona of Fiji
The Ava of Samoa, Kava from Tonga
The Awa of Hawaii
And that potent stuff served in Nakamal’s in Villa, Noumea, Moresby and Honiara
Also in kitchens, grog shops, backyards, front porches
Vatuniloa’s, mango trees, village houses, sugarcane fields, University campuses
The list is endless
Those places where grog is served with relish
Whether five star or not
This is my ode to the magic of the call
TAKI
To the juice that makes you squint, squirm and lower your head in shame
Only to rise in proud stance to the call TAKI
This is for the first timers and avid fans
For those who wear their badges in scaled degrees
On their hands and knees (all over in fact)
This is for the conversations that flow along with the drink
Slowly winding down to a quiet contemplation
Each person wondering whose brave enough to call the next round
TAKI
The magic word sounds
The drink of the gods pours down
The poison spins round
This, well this is for the sounds of the frantic search for chaser
This is for the crackle of sweet wrappers
And the suckling sounds of mango skin sucked dry of all flavour
This is for the various ways of drinking
Some like they want to swallow the bilo along with the juice
Other’s like sipping hot tea
This is for the grimace and complaints of a strong mix, or the odd call that it’s too waicala
Served high tide, low tide, or in between
The levels dropping as the hours fly
This is for the different sized bilos used
And even the variety of substitutes
Ranging from mugs to porcelain bowls
Even the odd wine glass for the classy connoisseur
This is for the odd bucket, basins
And other odds and ends
That serves as the majestic tanoa
This is for reconciliation
For the weddings, funerals, birthdays, anniversaries
Class or family reunions, the odd encounter
The coincidental meet at the market
Rugby World Cups, Super 14’s and other rugby championships
And those moments when our thirst gets the better of us
This is for the yaqona of Fiji
The Ava of Samoa, Kava from Tonga
The Awa of Hawaii
And that potent stuff served in Nakamal’s in Villa, Noumea, Moresby and Honiara
Also in kitchens, grog shops, backyards, front porches
Vatuniloa’s, mango trees, village houses, sugarcane fields, University campuses
The list is endless
Those places where grog is served with relish
Whether five star or not
This is my ode to the magic of the call
TAKI
Monday, July 5, 2010
A Parody of Nature's Love
Mother Nature must really love us
She showers her love upon us each and every day
Raging sun, freezing storms, devastating winds and thirsty deserts
Volcanoes erupting, earthquakes rocking and waves surging
We feel and see her love for Humanity each and every day
Why does she love us so much?
Just think about it,
We destroy her virgin forests to expand our cities
We spill millions of barrels of oil into her oceans and seas
We kill indiscriminately the whales, the deer, the elephants, the lions, the tigers, the bears
And the list goes on and on,
In fact no creature of the animal kingdom is safe from us
Isn’t it a wonder that Mother Nature loves us???
She’s grateful to us for destroying the protective covering
That shields us from the sun’s rays
She giggles every time we dig deep mines into her face
Searching for gold, diamonds and every other mineral under the sun
She is happiest when we create landfill after landfill to contain all our waste and litter
Yes, I’m sure she loves us for all the fun things we do
In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if her love consumes us
Drowning our islands, flattening our cities
Burning our homes and killing every single human in existence
What greater expression of love could we ever expect from our Mother?
This could be food for thought,
How much more do we love ourselves?
To ensure our survival in the face of Mother Nature’s love
She showers her love upon us each and every day
Raging sun, freezing storms, devastating winds and thirsty deserts
Volcanoes erupting, earthquakes rocking and waves surging
We feel and see her love for Humanity each and every day
Why does she love us so much?
Just think about it,
We destroy her virgin forests to expand our cities
We spill millions of barrels of oil into her oceans and seas
We kill indiscriminately the whales, the deer, the elephants, the lions, the tigers, the bears
And the list goes on and on,
In fact no creature of the animal kingdom is safe from us
Isn’t it a wonder that Mother Nature loves us???
She’s grateful to us for destroying the protective covering
That shields us from the sun’s rays
She giggles every time we dig deep mines into her face
Searching for gold, diamonds and every other mineral under the sun
She is happiest when we create landfill after landfill to contain all our waste and litter
Yes, I’m sure she loves us for all the fun things we do
In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if her love consumes us
Drowning our islands, flattening our cities
Burning our homes and killing every single human in existence
What greater expression of love could we ever expect from our Mother?
This could be food for thought,
How much more do we love ourselves?
To ensure our survival in the face of Mother Nature’s love
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Pain
We’ve all
Felt it
Touched it
Seen it
Known it
In one way or another
It could be
As sharp as a knife
As blunt as a round ball
Lasts
As long as a second
And as short as eternity
It comes in many forms
In many ways
In different times
And in different styles
It drives us to shout out loud
Or weep in silence
It enables us to confront our problems
Or move along in quiet apathy
For as long as humanity lives
It is something we will never be free of
But with our ability to adapt
It is something we can learn to live with
Felt it
Touched it
Seen it
Known it
In one way or another
It could be
As sharp as a knife
As blunt as a round ball
Lasts
As long as a second
And as short as eternity
It comes in many forms
In many ways
In different times
And in different styles
It drives us to shout out loud
Or weep in silence
It enables us to confront our problems
Or move along in quiet apathy
For as long as humanity lives
It is something we will never be free of
But with our ability to adapt
It is something we can learn to live with
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
The Art of Giving
There’s something to be said
About our capacity to give
The ability to look past our selfish pride
And offer help to someone else
Maybe it’s God given or maybe not
But I believe that it is something
Deeply inherent in all human beings
The power to release a portion of our wealth
Be it time
Be it money
Be it material worth
Or even a listening ear
The gift of giving is never lost
The best form of giving expects nothing in return
The most apt gift is that from the heart
The most powerful person in the world is the giver
Tis truly said that it’s better to give than to receive
Our acts of giving open up channels of love
Our willingness to give can change a person’s life
Imagine how much better our world would be
If everyone gave, without conditions
If everyone shared without regret
But most of all if everyone was thankful for the things they had
And still had the chance to give once more
Blessed are the givers I say
For theirs is the gift of love
About our capacity to give
The ability to look past our selfish pride
And offer help to someone else
Maybe it’s God given or maybe not
But I believe that it is something
Deeply inherent in all human beings
The power to release a portion of our wealth
Be it time
Be it money
Be it material worth
Or even a listening ear
The gift of giving is never lost
The best form of giving expects nothing in return
The most apt gift is that from the heart
The most powerful person in the world is the giver
Tis truly said that it’s better to give than to receive
Our acts of giving open up channels of love
Our willingness to give can change a person’s life
Imagine how much better our world would be
If everyone gave, without conditions
If everyone shared without regret
But most of all if everyone was thankful for the things they had
And still had the chance to give once more
Blessed are the givers I say
For theirs is the gift of love
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Trial and Error
I’ve spent the last three weeks baking and trialing various recipes. One morning, I tried my hand at making waffles and it came out nicely (and I made maple syrup to go with it). That same day, I baked a chocolate cake but I burnt the bottom (too long in oven) and I almost broke my right arm whisking the butter and icing sugar for the cake. The icing turned out very nice.
The next week, I found a flapjack recipe in a magazine and offered to make a batch for breakie again. It was delicious!!
That following afternoon, mum asked me to make some more flapjacks for tea and I came up with a hitch and bungled the pancakes.
Just Thursday gone by, I taught the ladies in church how to make chocolate coconut balls (ChoCo Balls) that was a favourite recipe of mine from a long time ago. It turned out perfect (as usual) and the children loved it (as well as their mother’s).
Last night (by the way, this is one of my home made posts that were uploaded the next day), I made chocolate fudge and believe me when I say that it was a LONG TIME since I had last made that particular delicacy. I was hooked and wanted to try it again but I came up short and bungled the caramel mix (SHIT).
I don’t know how many more recipe’s I’m gonna try my hand at but it looks very promising for me. Mum says I have the makings of a good desert chef at home… LOL
I hope I can prove her right…
The next week, I found a flapjack recipe in a magazine and offered to make a batch for breakie again. It was delicious!!
That following afternoon, mum asked me to make some more flapjacks for tea and I came up with a hitch and bungled the pancakes.
Just Thursday gone by, I taught the ladies in church how to make chocolate coconut balls (ChoCo Balls) that was a favourite recipe of mine from a long time ago. It turned out perfect (as usual) and the children loved it (as well as their mother’s).
Last night (by the way, this is one of my home made posts that were uploaded the next day), I made chocolate fudge and believe me when I say that it was a LONG TIME since I had last made that particular delicacy. I was hooked and wanted to try it again but I came up short and bungled the caramel mix (SHIT).
I don’t know how many more recipe’s I’m gonna try my hand at but it looks very promising for me. Mum says I have the makings of a good desert chef at home… LOL
I hope I can prove her right…
Thursday, June 10, 2010
The One Thing I Hate
This is a post i forgot to put up way back after the Cyclone:
If there is one thing I utterly detest in this world when concerning the relationships that people share with each other is the act of a Man beating a Woman into a semblance of submission and fear. It is one thing I will not tolerate.
This is what is happening to me at this point in time. There’s a young couple in church who – during the hurricane, had an argument and the wife was beaten severely by her husband. When I saw the extent of her injuries, I was appalled and disgusted that this could happen to one so young. When I say that they are young, I mean, they are my age. The thing that has me in a twist is that the boy has a position in the church that is very important and requires tact in managing. When I saw his wife, I was all in for him being stood down from his position and being replaced by someone who was more balanced in his family life. Of course I didn’t actually voice that opinion to mum and dad because it wouldn’t be fair for me to do so.
Right now they’re having music team rehearsals and I’m sick just looking at his ugly mug. I mean it, this boy is a no looker for good reason – he’s just plain ugly. I’m not being biased in saying that, it’s true. I’m not beating around the bush when I say that he is one ugly “fothermucker”. Gawd, I really detest him right now. From the moment I first met him, I just knew that there would be something about him I would come to hate and that premonition just came true. I detest this boy for the mere fact that he beat his wife after an argument. Argh!
Gets my blood boiling. In fact when I do post this, it’s not going in as a perspective, no I’m making it a full rant.
The funny thing is that since I’m so good at wearing masks, I can be cool around him but deep inside I’m boiling with resentment for him and what he’s done. People might tell me that it’s nothing to do with me, but what happens if he does it again and she dies??? Do we then step in at that minute??? Prevention is better than cure in my opinion and it applies very much into this instance. If I have to threaten him, I will. I will not accept someone who will stoop that low as to beating someone unable to defend herself. If it was a woman beating a man, I’d be ok with that; but vice versa??? HELL TO THE FCUKING NO!!!
The sad thing about this is that I can never again look at him with the respect I once had for him. Now, all I see is a wife beater and it’d take a miracle to change my mind about him. I’m hoping to let mum know this so that at least she’ll understand how I will be acting to this particular boy (I call him boy because he’s not worth me naming him a man… fcuk that shit)
That’s about it for me, now. I might come up with another rant soon if I’m not done getting angry with the bloody bastard.
If there is one thing I utterly detest in this world when concerning the relationships that people share with each other is the act of a Man beating a Woman into a semblance of submission and fear. It is one thing I will not tolerate.
This is what is happening to me at this point in time. There’s a young couple in church who – during the hurricane, had an argument and the wife was beaten severely by her husband. When I saw the extent of her injuries, I was appalled and disgusted that this could happen to one so young. When I say that they are young, I mean, they are my age. The thing that has me in a twist is that the boy has a position in the church that is very important and requires tact in managing. When I saw his wife, I was all in for him being stood down from his position and being replaced by someone who was more balanced in his family life. Of course I didn’t actually voice that opinion to mum and dad because it wouldn’t be fair for me to do so.
Right now they’re having music team rehearsals and I’m sick just looking at his ugly mug. I mean it, this boy is a no looker for good reason – he’s just plain ugly. I’m not being biased in saying that, it’s true. I’m not beating around the bush when I say that he is one ugly “fothermucker”. Gawd, I really detest him right now. From the moment I first met him, I just knew that there would be something about him I would come to hate and that premonition just came true. I detest this boy for the mere fact that he beat his wife after an argument. Argh!
Gets my blood boiling. In fact when I do post this, it’s not going in as a perspective, no I’m making it a full rant.
The funny thing is that since I’m so good at wearing masks, I can be cool around him but deep inside I’m boiling with resentment for him and what he’s done. People might tell me that it’s nothing to do with me, but what happens if he does it again and she dies??? Do we then step in at that minute??? Prevention is better than cure in my opinion and it applies very much into this instance. If I have to threaten him, I will. I will not accept someone who will stoop that low as to beating someone unable to defend herself. If it was a woman beating a man, I’d be ok with that; but vice versa??? HELL TO THE FCUKING NO!!!
The sad thing about this is that I can never again look at him with the respect I once had for him. Now, all I see is a wife beater and it’d take a miracle to change my mind about him. I’m hoping to let mum know this so that at least she’ll understand how I will be acting to this particular boy (I call him boy because he’s not worth me naming him a man… fcuk that shit)
That’s about it for me, now. I might come up with another rant soon if I’m not done getting angry with the bloody bastard.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
I read this interesting book about making wishes and the history of wish making. It concerns the experience of Noelle Oxenhandler and how she took a year to make 3 wishes and experience how they came to pass. There are several things I learnt from that book:
A wish gives one the chance to release energy into the universe.
A wish must be made without doubt or fear or any negative thought/emotion that could deter the energy released in the wish from drawing what you need to you.
To make a wish requires one to take the extra mile and ensure that one does everything to bring oneself in alignment to the wish’s fulfillment.
A wish is best kept secret; only to be shared with those who can encourage you in keeping the wish alive.
One needs to be specific at times as to what you are wishing e.g. I wish for $299 to buy the new Alcatel on sale at Courts Homecentre.
One’s wish can be materialistic as well as psychological, spiritual or moral.
I’ve learnt all that and even more. To that end, I’ve taken it on myself to drawing up a wishlist and sending out all my conscious thought towards the power of the wish. I won’t detail it here because I want to keep it personal but you can know that it’s mostly material wishing.
Wish me luck!
A wish gives one the chance to release energy into the universe.
A wish must be made without doubt or fear or any negative thought/emotion that could deter the energy released in the wish from drawing what you need to you.
To make a wish requires one to take the extra mile and ensure that one does everything to bring oneself in alignment to the wish’s fulfillment.
A wish is best kept secret; only to be shared with those who can encourage you in keeping the wish alive.
One needs to be specific at times as to what you are wishing e.g. I wish for $299 to buy the new Alcatel on sale at Courts Homecentre.
One’s wish can be materialistic as well as psychological, spiritual or moral.
I’ve learnt all that and even more. To that end, I’ve taken it on myself to drawing up a wishlist and sending out all my conscious thought towards the power of the wish. I won’t detail it here because I want to keep it personal but you can know that it’s mostly material wishing.
Wish me luck!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
You Drive me Crazy!!!
It’s that look in your eyes
You know
The one that swallows me whole
That look that sees through me
Making me feel like I’m there but again I’m not
It’s the way you hold my hand
Each stroke & caress
Hitting me with the force of a lightning bolt
That touch that says so much more
Than words could ever convey
It’s the way you say my name
Each inflection and consonant
Echoing in the halls of my heart
Sending shivers down my spine to my toes
Turning me to helpless clay
Your breathy whisper that leaves me wanting more
I’m sure
You know by now
That you drive me crazy
Your mere presence is enough
To make me swoon in ecstasy
And so I sit here
Writing this ode
Hoping to never lose this feeling
That only you could arouse in me
GAWD YOU DRIVE ME CRAZY!
You know
The one that swallows me whole
That look that sees through me
Making me feel like I’m there but again I’m not
It’s the way you hold my hand
Each stroke & caress
Hitting me with the force of a lightning bolt
That touch that says so much more
Than words could ever convey
It’s the way you say my name
Each inflection and consonant
Echoing in the halls of my heart
Sending shivers down my spine to my toes
Turning me to helpless clay
Your breathy whisper that leaves me wanting more
I’m sure
You know by now
That you drive me crazy
Your mere presence is enough
To make me swoon in ecstasy
And so I sit here
Writing this ode
Hoping to never lose this feeling
That only you could arouse in me
GAWD YOU DRIVE ME CRAZY!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
I'm headed to India
Oh yeah.... this is something quick just to show y'all what i'll be up to in NOvember:
if you haven't guessed it's a program that'll see me in New Delhi... YAY!
oh and here's a little something to commemorate India:
if you haven't guessed it's a program that'll see me in New Delhi... YAY!
oh and here's a little something to commemorate India:
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Nostalgia
Every where I look
Every thing I do
Every time I’m alone
I can’t help but think of you
I long to hear your laugh again
I yearn for those times we shared
I wish that I could be by your side once more
But more often than not, it’s become wishful thinking
My heart aches so much
My tears almost spent
The longing within me so strong
My only release found in sleep’s embrace
But then my dreams find you
And I am glad once more
If only for the space of my dreamtime
Because it is there that we are together
Laughing together, singing together
Sharing together
And when the sun breaks in the horizon
The nostalgia will return to claim me
Till sleep draws me once more
To dream of you and me
Together
Every thing I do
Every time I’m alone
I can’t help but think of you
I long to hear your laugh again
I yearn for those times we shared
I wish that I could be by your side once more
But more often than not, it’s become wishful thinking
My heart aches so much
My tears almost spent
The longing within me so strong
My only release found in sleep’s embrace
But then my dreams find you
And I am glad once more
If only for the space of my dreamtime
Because it is there that we are together
Laughing together, singing together
Sharing together
And when the sun breaks in the horizon
The nostalgia will return to claim me
Till sleep draws me once more
To dream of you and me
Together
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Living in Transition
It’s been a while since I’ve had the chance to upload something on to this blog. Too long I say. So much has happened in the past month that I’ll try and sum it all up.
Since I’ve come back from the Disaster Assessment Tour of Cakaudrove following from Cyclone Tomas, and immediately began preparations for a trip to Suva.
This trip to Suva was for the “Together We Can” Project training. This project is Red Cross’s Peer Education component for their HIV/AIDS prevention and education. Frances, Ateca and I represented Savusavu and we met volunteers from every branch in Fiji e.g. Levuka, Taveuni, Sigatoka, Rakiraki, etc... It was absolutely fun and a pure teambuilding week for us volunteers. We all became so close that when it came for us to depart, everybody was in tears. Yes, that was a definite highlight for me.
Coming back to Savusavu, myself and the two girls busied ourselves with preparing for the work we needed to do and at the same time spent every passing day either in Naverea or Vuniyasawa. Yes, there was grog involved in copious amounts. What bliss!
I must note that ever since we’ve come back from Suva, our mobiles have become a sort of hotline for all Red Cross Peer Educators. Day and night!
Oh I forgot an important piece of news, the week I was preparing to leave for Suva; Mum had been to Suva and came back with Jessica.
The week after I came back, we went to Labasa for a Northern Division meet and I had fun there; got to meet up with Mei Mili and visited the Labasa Branch office.
Came back and began preparing to fly over to Suva for a MEN Fiji consultation meeting. That was a good weekend for me.
While I was in Suva for the consultation meet, a combined Band of Suva Central and Lomaivuna Brass came to Savusavu for a camp and tour. This was a great week for all. They led music workshops and we had a mini concert on their last night. I’ve been tasked with putting together a report for the War Cry which I’ve done, I’m just waiting for the photos to be emailed to me from Nancy and Leibling.
Besides all that excitement, we’ve exchanged Jessica for William to stay with us (he came with Pingy along with Hannah)…
It’s been good these past few weeks and I’m looking forward to better days ahead.
Since I’ve come back from the Disaster Assessment Tour of Cakaudrove following from Cyclone Tomas, and immediately began preparations for a trip to Suva.
This trip to Suva was for the “Together We Can” Project training. This project is Red Cross’s Peer Education component for their HIV/AIDS prevention and education. Frances, Ateca and I represented Savusavu and we met volunteers from every branch in Fiji e.g. Levuka, Taveuni, Sigatoka, Rakiraki, etc... It was absolutely fun and a pure teambuilding week for us volunteers. We all became so close that when it came for us to depart, everybody was in tears. Yes, that was a definite highlight for me.
Coming back to Savusavu, myself and the two girls busied ourselves with preparing for the work we needed to do and at the same time spent every passing day either in Naverea or Vuniyasawa. Yes, there was grog involved in copious amounts. What bliss!
I must note that ever since we’ve come back from Suva, our mobiles have become a sort of hotline for all Red Cross Peer Educators. Day and night!
Oh I forgot an important piece of news, the week I was preparing to leave for Suva; Mum had been to Suva and came back with Jessica.
The week after I came back, we went to Labasa for a Northern Division meet and I had fun there; got to meet up with Mei Mili and visited the Labasa Branch office.
Came back and began preparing to fly over to Suva for a MEN Fiji consultation meeting. That was a good weekend for me.
While I was in Suva for the consultation meet, a combined Band of Suva Central and Lomaivuna Brass came to Savusavu for a camp and tour. This was a great week for all. They led music workshops and we had a mini concert on their last night. I’ve been tasked with putting together a report for the War Cry which I’ve done, I’m just waiting for the photos to be emailed to me from Nancy and Leibling.
Besides all that excitement, we’ve exchanged Jessica for William to stay with us (he came with Pingy along with Hannah)…
It’s been good these past few weeks and I’m looking forward to better days ahead.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
The Gospel of Rugby
The Gospel of Rugby
Well known far and wide
Its doctrines and laws
Plays and sequences
Memorised, treasured and kept close to heart
More than any religious text or constitutional mandate
The gospel of rugby
Has a simple yet diverse grammar
With verb forms and nouns
Made up of whizzes and whooshes
Bangs, pops and other imagined sound effects
The whole game summed up with wild gestures
And a frenzied description
Likened to that of a fiery preacher
Speaking of hell fire and damnation
Remember that it’s considered rude to interrupt one when one is talking rugby
The messiah of the gospel of rugby
Is that one player who breaks through the line
Dashing down the field to score try after try after try
Rising up to touch his heart and point skyward
Affording that win to some higher power
All an effort to show some pretense of humility
When deep inside he’s really going: In your face bitches!
The Gospel of Rugby captures your attention
Its grip so tight that the roads miraculously clear
Shops close down and everyone is seated round the television
Eyes glued to every movement and play
Even the domesticated animals are silent with trepidation
And all of a sudden A TRY!
Screams and shouting all around
Pots banging, children dancing
The game is won and the world cup is coming home
Hours later the government declares a national holiday
All in the name of the gospel of rugby
Heaven’s forbid that the team should lose
For the gospel of rugby can be insidious
Wounded pride demanding the sacrifice of the coach
And the team and the support crew and the management
And anyone else that’s deemed liable for the atrocities of THAT world cup
That’s the gospel of rugby for you
A poor attempt I must admit but as close to the truth as I would see it
Well known far and wide
Its doctrines and laws
Plays and sequences
Memorised, treasured and kept close to heart
More than any religious text or constitutional mandate
The gospel of rugby
Has a simple yet diverse grammar
With verb forms and nouns
Made up of whizzes and whooshes
Bangs, pops and other imagined sound effects
The whole game summed up with wild gestures
And a frenzied description
Likened to that of a fiery preacher
Speaking of hell fire and damnation
Remember that it’s considered rude to interrupt one when one is talking rugby
The messiah of the gospel of rugby
Is that one player who breaks through the line
Dashing down the field to score try after try after try
Rising up to touch his heart and point skyward
Affording that win to some higher power
All an effort to show some pretense of humility
When deep inside he’s really going: In your face bitches!
The Gospel of Rugby captures your attention
Its grip so tight that the roads miraculously clear
Shops close down and everyone is seated round the television
Eyes glued to every movement and play
Even the domesticated animals are silent with trepidation
And all of a sudden A TRY!
Screams and shouting all around
Pots banging, children dancing
The game is won and the world cup is coming home
Hours later the government declares a national holiday
All in the name of the gospel of rugby
Heaven’s forbid that the team should lose
For the gospel of rugby can be insidious
Wounded pride demanding the sacrifice of the coach
And the team and the support crew and the management
And anyone else that’s deemed liable for the atrocities of THAT world cup
That’s the gospel of rugby for you
A poor attempt I must admit but as close to the truth as I would see it
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
I hate goodbyes
i have to farewell some really awesome people from suva
and i don't want to...
really sad right now
and i don't want to...
really sad right now
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The Day Will Return
In a sea of eternal night
When all is lost & desperate
In a time of endless darkness
When the spirit is battered & torn
In a waste of black horizons
When all that is seen is hatred & death
I believe that the day will return
In the moments when hope disappears
In the hours of unending pain
In the instance when suffering abounds
When living no longer is gain
I believe that the day will return
In the desert of infinite thirst
And a wasteland of total desolation
In swampy mires of drowning depression
And arid mountains of rising trouble
I believe that the day will return
I believe
The day will return in all its glory
Bringing hope & change
Relieving all suffering & pain
The day will return & forever stay
With its light & warmth
Healing & rest
Everything good & kind
Like sugar & spice
I believe that this night will not last
And Day will come with the sun
Battling its way through the dark
Ushering in a new dawn, a new Day
For you
For me
For everyone
When all is lost & desperate
In a time of endless darkness
When the spirit is battered & torn
In a waste of black horizons
When all that is seen is hatred & death
I believe that the day will return
In the moments when hope disappears
In the hours of unending pain
In the instance when suffering abounds
When living no longer is gain
I believe that the day will return
In the desert of infinite thirst
And a wasteland of total desolation
In swampy mires of drowning depression
And arid mountains of rising trouble
I believe that the day will return
I believe
The day will return in all its glory
Bringing hope & change
Relieving all suffering & pain
The day will return & forever stay
With its light & warmth
Healing & rest
Everything good & kind
Like sugar & spice
I believe that this night will not last
And Day will come with the sun
Battling its way through the dark
Ushering in a new dawn, a new Day
For you
For me
For everyone
Monday, March 22, 2010
Percy Jackson & The Olypmians: The Lightning Thief
Based on the novel series by Rick Riordan “Percy Jackson and the Olympians – The Lightning Thief”
Synopsis:
The movie opens with Poseidon (Kevin McKidd), walking out of the sea and into NYC. After climbing to the top of the Empire State Building, Zeus (Sean Bean) shows up, and asks Poseidon what he sees. Poseidon says he sees thunderclouds, and Zeus replies that there's no lightning. Zeus then explains that it (Zeus' lightning bolt) has been stolen, and he believes that Poseidon sent his son, Percy, to steal it. Zeus gives an ultimatum. Either Percy returns the lightning bolt within 14 days, before the summer solstice, or else there will be war. Poseidon is furious that Zeus would threaten his son, but realizes he can't change the god's mind. Zeus rips open a doorway, and travels up to Mount Olympus.
We next see Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) sitting underwater for quite some time. When he finally surfaces, his best friend Grover (Brandon T. Jackson) comments that he was under for 7 minutes. Percy responds that the only place he can think is underwater. (Percy suffers from both Dyslexia and ADHD)
We see Percy and Grover (Who uses crutches) walking through school to English class. They have a substitute teacher, Ms. Dodds (Maria Olsen), who asks Percy to explain a quote on the board. However his Dyslexia causes the letters to float around, making it impossible for him to read. Percy goes home and talks to his mom Sally Jackson (Catherine Keener) about how school is going terribly. His mom says that things will get better soon, and that one day he'll understand why everything is like this. Then, Gabe Ugliano (Joe Pantoliano), Percy's step-dad gets home. He's a smelly (as in lack of hygiene) jerk, who forces Sally to get him a beer from the fridge and treats her and Percy like crap. Percy gets fed up, but Gabe threatens him and he backs off.
The next day, Percy and Grover go on a field trip to a Greek Museum, which is led by Ms.Dodds and Mr. Brunner (Pierce Brosnan) a wheelchair bound Latin teacher. Mr. Brunner asks Percy a few questions about demigods (the children that are born when gods "hook up" with mortals), which Percy is able to answer thanks to his Dyslexia translating an ancient Greek tablet. Ms. Dodds then asks to speak to Percy. She leads him into a closed off exhibit, and teleports to the top of some scaffolding. She then hisses at Percy, asking where the lightning bolt is, before turning into Alecto, a Fury and one of Hades' servants. Percy is freaking out, has no idea what's going on, and is about to die before Mr. Brunner and Grover show up. Mr. Brunner threatens Alecto, and she flies away. Grover explains that he is Percy's protector, and that they have to go to camp.
Percy still has no idea what's going on, but goes with Grover. Mr. Brunner also gives Percy a pen, claiming that it's a powerful weapon. Grover and Percy get to Percy's apartment to get his mom, and Grover proves to be very adept with his crutches, knocking out Gabe when he tries to stop them from leaving. Percy, Sally, and Grover are driving to camp, and Percy still has no idea what's going on. His mom tells him that it has something to do with his father, but doesn't elaborate. However, the group is attacked by the Minotaur, and crashes the car. Grover reveals that he's a Satyr (Half man, half goat) and uses the crutches to help disguise his goat legs and feet. They try to escape the Minotaur by running under an arch that reads Camp Half-Blood, but Sally is unable to enter due to a magical barrier. The Minotaur catches her, and squeezes her into gold dust. Percy gets ticked, and the pen Mr. Brunner gives him turns into a Greek sword. He then battles the Minotaur, eventually ripping off one of its horns and stabbing it, finally killing it. Percy then passes out.
Three days later, Percy wakes up in the infirmary at Camp Half-Blood. After getting oriented, Grover shows him around camp, and points out Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario), a daughter of Athena. We also find out that Mr. Brunner is actually Chiron, a centaur and famous teacher of heroes. He reveals to Percy that he is a son of Poseidon, and that the god's are on the brink of war because of the theft of Zeus' lighting bolt. He wants to take Percy to Olympus to show the gods that he isn't the lightning thief. But first, Percy needs to train. Finally, he reveals that Percy's mom made many sacrifices for him, including marrying Gabe, whose pungent smell prevented monsters from realizing Percy is a demigod.
A game of capture-the-flag is going on, ancient Greek style. This includes swords, shields, spears, bows, arrows, daggers, and anything else you can think of. Percy is put on Luke's team. Luke (Jake Abel) is one of the oldest campers, and is a son of Hermes. He loans Percy a helmet, and sticks by him when things get intense. Eventually, Luke is holding 3 of Ares' (God of War) children at bay while Percy looks for the flag. He finds it, but also runs into Annabeth, who immediately starts dueling him. She easily defeats Percy, cutting several of his tendons and forcing him to the ground. But, Percy hears Poseidon's voice in his head, and crawls to a nearby creek. The water heals him, and boosts his strength and reflexes. He is able to disarm Annabeth, and wins the game.
That night at dinner, Annabeth talks to him about how their parents, Poseidon and Athena, hate each other, but that doesn't mean that Percy and Annabeth have to be enemies. However, things get broken up when Hades shows up as a twenty-foot flaming demon. He reveals that he has Percy's mother, from when the Minotaur "killed" her earlier. Hades is willing to trade Sally for Zeus' bolt, which he believes Percy has.
Although Chiron forbids him, Percy sneaks out of camp that night, desperate to save his mother. Grover and Annabeth catch him, and when they realize Percy can't be stopped, they go with him. First, they go to Luke to find out how to get to the Underworld. Luke tells them that all the gods are selfish and cruel, and is more than happy to help. He gives them a map that will lead them to four locations: The gates of the Underworld, and the location of three Pearls of Persephone. Persephone (Rosario Dawson) is Hades' reluctant wife, and often has affairs with other men. The Pearls allow the guys to quickly get out of the Underworld if Hades finds them. Luke also gives Percy a pair of winged shoes he stole from Hermes, and a shield.
The trio of heroes make their way to the first Pearl, which is located in Aunty Em's Garden Emporium, a place full of decorative statues. It appears to be deserted, so they split up to find the Pearl. Grover finds a statue that looks a lot like a relative of his, down to the location of mole. As it happened, that relative was killed by... Medusa! At the same time, Annabeth finds a woman screaming about how someone turned her husband to stone, and how they have to get out of there. Medusa finds them, however, and turns the woman to stone, and traps Annabeth. Percy and Grover try to figure out how to kill Medusa, with Percy using his iPhone as a mirror, since only looking into Medusa's eyes turns you to stone. Long story short: Grover and Annabeth distract Medusa, and Percy decapitates her. Annabeth decides to keep Medusa's head, as her stone gaze still works if you look at her eyes.
After finding the Pearl on Medusa's bracelet, Percy, Grover, and Annabeth hijack Medusa's truck to get to the next location: The replica Parthenon in Nashville. After they stop at a motel for the night, Percy and Annabeth start to grow closer, but this is interrupted when Grover, watching TV, finds a missing person report on Percy. Gabe is claiming that Percy kidnapped his mother and is now on the run. Since they can't do anything about it now, the trio just heads down to Nashville.
When they finally reach the Parthenon, they see the next Pearl on the statue of Athena, but can't reach it. They hide in the bathroom until closing, and then use sleeping darts to knock out the night janitors. Percy uses the winged shoes to get the pearl, but the janitors wake up and reveal that they're actually the Hydra. The Hydra attacks and nearly kills the heroes, but Percy discovers that he has hydrokinesis (He can control the movement of water), and is able to slow it down. However, Grover kills the Hydra by pulling out Medusa's head and turning it to stone.
Happy with their success, the group goes to the final pearl location: The Lotus Casino in Las Vegas. They make it to the casino, but they find that it is the lair of the Lotus-Eaters. Whenever you eat the Lotus plant, all you want to do is remain there, doing nothing else for all eternity. The group gets sucked into the Casino, but Percy hears Poseidon's voice again, and manages to wake up from his trance. He realizes what's going on when he meets a kid from 1971 playing pinball, and also manages to wake up Grover and Annabeth. They find the last Pearl (being used as a roulette ball), hijack another car, and escape.
Finally, they make their way to the gates of the Underworld. As it turns out, the depths of Hell are located beneath... Beverly Hills! Yeah, I wasn't really that surprised.
After traveling to Hades' palace, Percy, Annabeth, and Grover meet Persephone, who leads them to Hades (Steve Coogan). Hades says that he wants Zeus' bolt so that he can rule Olympus, as he's sick of living in the Underworld. Percy insists that he doesn't have the bolt, but Hades doesn't believe him, and threatens to destroy his mother, who suddenly appears. Percy throws aside his shield to see his mom, but it breaks open, revealing the lightning bolt inside. Yes, Luke stole the lightning bolt because he hated the gods for ignoring him, and wanted them to destroy themselves. He knew that the missing lightning bolt would cause a war, and that he could take over once the gods had wiped each other out.
Hades doesn't care about Luke though; he's just happy to have the bolt. Just as he's about to kill Percy, Persephone betrays her husband, and knocks him out with the lightning bolt. She knew that a war between the gods would cause her to lose any happiness she had left, leaving her only with Hades, who she hated. She gives the bolt back to Percy, but also points out that the group, with Sally now included, has only 3 Pearls for 4 people; someone will have to stay behind. Grover, as Percy's protector, volunteers, and the others use the Pearls to teleport to the Empire State Building to get to Mount Olympus.
However, Luke shows up with another pair of flying shoes and steals the lightning bolt again. Percy then uses his shoes to chase after Luke, which climaxes in Percy using the water from several water towers to pulverize Luke and throw him into the ocean. Percy and Annabeth then travel to Mount Olympus (Sally stays behind since she's mortal) and arrive with the lightning bolt a few seconds after the deadline. Zeus decides to let it slide, however, and peace reigns. Percy and Annabeth both get to talk to their parents, with Poseidon telling Percy that he regrets not being able to stay with him and Sally, but his godly responsibilities forced him to leave. Percy forgives his father, and the two shake hands.
The movie ends with Sally dropping Percy back off at Camp Half-Blood, saying that he belongs there. Percy finds Grover, who was released from the Underworld, and is ecstatic that after successfully "protecting" Percy, he is now a Senior Protector First Class (he also gets some very small horns). Chiron forgives Percy for running away, as heroes can train all they want, but in the end their instinct is what makes them a hero. Finally, Percy and Annabeth have another friendly duel, with Annabeth almost kissing Percy.
Shortly after the credits, we see Sally kicking Gabe out of her apartment. He wants to get a beer first, but sees the fridge is locked with a note on front: NOT TO BE OPENED UNDER ANY CONDITIONS! I MEAN IT! Percy. Gabe ignores the note, breaks the lock off, and opens the door to find the head of Medusa staring back at him.
Review:
If there is one thing I absolutely hate; it is movies that are adapted from books but don’t follow the plot of the book. This movie is a classic example of how Hollywood took a book and trashed its storyline and character plot for the sake of a few quick bucks. The only thing that stuck was the characters. Everything else was just downright bullshit.
You have to remember that this is my personal blog so all opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect the views of others.
I would have loved to see the movie follow the plot of the book well, but it just disappointed from the very beginning. The book series has an amazing plot and sub-plots that weave a tapestry of myth and legend with modern day characters. The idea that a dread god of ancient times is seeking revenge on his children is exciting to say the least.
In the movie, the main culprit is Luke, son of Hermes. He only stole the lightning bolt just so he could get the gods to destroy themselves; this because they (the gods) were expressly forbidden by Zeus from seeing and interacting with their children.
In the book, the Big Three (Zeus, Poseidon, Hades) had children of their own each with their own problems. In the movie, the only child of a Big Three was Percy. There was no mention of Thalia or even the reason why the camp was called Half Blood Camp (in reference to Thalia’s sacrifice not to the half bloods residing in the camp). Then there’s the whole campsite picture, I would have loved to see Dionysus as camp director and the picture of a modern camp as portrayed in the book. In the bloody movie, it’s just a step into the past; grungy and cramped.
Now let’s get away from my distaste with the plot, and talk about something else for a change. Let’s begin with casting. I’d have to say that the cast for the movie was pretty good. When I saw on Wikipedia that the book was being adapted for film I wanted to find out who was playing what. Pierce Brosnan as the centaur Chiron was pretty good; Uma Thurman played Medusa and she rocked my socks. The casting for the Gods was pretty lame in my books. Poseidon and Zeus looked like middle aged men in the midst of a mid-life crisis. The descriptions in the book gave the impression that they were a little older than that. Now if Pierce Brosnan played Zeus or Poseidon that would have been even way better.
But I guess there’s no crying over spilt milk. As far as an adaptation goes, this movie is good for those who never read the book or even knew that there was a book because the movie just doesn’t give the book justice.
That’s the way I see it.
Synopsis:
The movie opens with Poseidon (Kevin McKidd), walking out of the sea and into NYC. After climbing to the top of the Empire State Building, Zeus (Sean Bean) shows up, and asks Poseidon what he sees. Poseidon says he sees thunderclouds, and Zeus replies that there's no lightning. Zeus then explains that it (Zeus' lightning bolt) has been stolen, and he believes that Poseidon sent his son, Percy, to steal it. Zeus gives an ultimatum. Either Percy returns the lightning bolt within 14 days, before the summer solstice, or else there will be war. Poseidon is furious that Zeus would threaten his son, but realizes he can't change the god's mind. Zeus rips open a doorway, and travels up to Mount Olympus.
We next see Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) sitting underwater for quite some time. When he finally surfaces, his best friend Grover (Brandon T. Jackson) comments that he was under for 7 minutes. Percy responds that the only place he can think is underwater. (Percy suffers from both Dyslexia and ADHD)
We see Percy and Grover (Who uses crutches) walking through school to English class. They have a substitute teacher, Ms. Dodds (Maria Olsen), who asks Percy to explain a quote on the board. However his Dyslexia causes the letters to float around, making it impossible for him to read. Percy goes home and talks to his mom Sally Jackson (Catherine Keener) about how school is going terribly. His mom says that things will get better soon, and that one day he'll understand why everything is like this. Then, Gabe Ugliano (Joe Pantoliano), Percy's step-dad gets home. He's a smelly (as in lack of hygiene) jerk, who forces Sally to get him a beer from the fridge and treats her and Percy like crap. Percy gets fed up, but Gabe threatens him and he backs off.
The next day, Percy and Grover go on a field trip to a Greek Museum, which is led by Ms.Dodds and Mr. Brunner (Pierce Brosnan) a wheelchair bound Latin teacher. Mr. Brunner asks Percy a few questions about demigods (the children that are born when gods "hook up" with mortals), which Percy is able to answer thanks to his Dyslexia translating an ancient Greek tablet. Ms. Dodds then asks to speak to Percy. She leads him into a closed off exhibit, and teleports to the top of some scaffolding. She then hisses at Percy, asking where the lightning bolt is, before turning into Alecto, a Fury and one of Hades' servants. Percy is freaking out, has no idea what's going on, and is about to die before Mr. Brunner and Grover show up. Mr. Brunner threatens Alecto, and she flies away. Grover explains that he is Percy's protector, and that they have to go to camp.
Percy still has no idea what's going on, but goes with Grover. Mr. Brunner also gives Percy a pen, claiming that it's a powerful weapon. Grover and Percy get to Percy's apartment to get his mom, and Grover proves to be very adept with his crutches, knocking out Gabe when he tries to stop them from leaving. Percy, Sally, and Grover are driving to camp, and Percy still has no idea what's going on. His mom tells him that it has something to do with his father, but doesn't elaborate. However, the group is attacked by the Minotaur, and crashes the car. Grover reveals that he's a Satyr (Half man, half goat) and uses the crutches to help disguise his goat legs and feet. They try to escape the Minotaur by running under an arch that reads Camp Half-Blood, but Sally is unable to enter due to a magical barrier. The Minotaur catches her, and squeezes her into gold dust. Percy gets ticked, and the pen Mr. Brunner gives him turns into a Greek sword. He then battles the Minotaur, eventually ripping off one of its horns and stabbing it, finally killing it. Percy then passes out.
Three days later, Percy wakes up in the infirmary at Camp Half-Blood. After getting oriented, Grover shows him around camp, and points out Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario), a daughter of Athena. We also find out that Mr. Brunner is actually Chiron, a centaur and famous teacher of heroes. He reveals to Percy that he is a son of Poseidon, and that the god's are on the brink of war because of the theft of Zeus' lighting bolt. He wants to take Percy to Olympus to show the gods that he isn't the lightning thief. But first, Percy needs to train. Finally, he reveals that Percy's mom made many sacrifices for him, including marrying Gabe, whose pungent smell prevented monsters from realizing Percy is a demigod.
A game of capture-the-flag is going on, ancient Greek style. This includes swords, shields, spears, bows, arrows, daggers, and anything else you can think of. Percy is put on Luke's team. Luke (Jake Abel) is one of the oldest campers, and is a son of Hermes. He loans Percy a helmet, and sticks by him when things get intense. Eventually, Luke is holding 3 of Ares' (God of War) children at bay while Percy looks for the flag. He finds it, but also runs into Annabeth, who immediately starts dueling him. She easily defeats Percy, cutting several of his tendons and forcing him to the ground. But, Percy hears Poseidon's voice in his head, and crawls to a nearby creek. The water heals him, and boosts his strength and reflexes. He is able to disarm Annabeth, and wins the game.
That night at dinner, Annabeth talks to him about how their parents, Poseidon and Athena, hate each other, but that doesn't mean that Percy and Annabeth have to be enemies. However, things get broken up when Hades shows up as a twenty-foot flaming demon. He reveals that he has Percy's mother, from when the Minotaur "killed" her earlier. Hades is willing to trade Sally for Zeus' bolt, which he believes Percy has.
Although Chiron forbids him, Percy sneaks out of camp that night, desperate to save his mother. Grover and Annabeth catch him, and when they realize Percy can't be stopped, they go with him. First, they go to Luke to find out how to get to the Underworld. Luke tells them that all the gods are selfish and cruel, and is more than happy to help. He gives them a map that will lead them to four locations: The gates of the Underworld, and the location of three Pearls of Persephone. Persephone (Rosario Dawson) is Hades' reluctant wife, and often has affairs with other men. The Pearls allow the guys to quickly get out of the Underworld if Hades finds them. Luke also gives Percy a pair of winged shoes he stole from Hermes, and a shield.
The trio of heroes make their way to the first Pearl, which is located in Aunty Em's Garden Emporium, a place full of decorative statues. It appears to be deserted, so they split up to find the Pearl. Grover finds a statue that looks a lot like a relative of his, down to the location of mole. As it happened, that relative was killed by... Medusa! At the same time, Annabeth finds a woman screaming about how someone turned her husband to stone, and how they have to get out of there. Medusa finds them, however, and turns the woman to stone, and traps Annabeth. Percy and Grover try to figure out how to kill Medusa, with Percy using his iPhone as a mirror, since only looking into Medusa's eyes turns you to stone. Long story short: Grover and Annabeth distract Medusa, and Percy decapitates her. Annabeth decides to keep Medusa's head, as her stone gaze still works if you look at her eyes.
After finding the Pearl on Medusa's bracelet, Percy, Grover, and Annabeth hijack Medusa's truck to get to the next location: The replica Parthenon in Nashville. After they stop at a motel for the night, Percy and Annabeth start to grow closer, but this is interrupted when Grover, watching TV, finds a missing person report on Percy. Gabe is claiming that Percy kidnapped his mother and is now on the run. Since they can't do anything about it now, the trio just heads down to Nashville.
When they finally reach the Parthenon, they see the next Pearl on the statue of Athena, but can't reach it. They hide in the bathroom until closing, and then use sleeping darts to knock out the night janitors. Percy uses the winged shoes to get the pearl, but the janitors wake up and reveal that they're actually the Hydra. The Hydra attacks and nearly kills the heroes, but Percy discovers that he has hydrokinesis (He can control the movement of water), and is able to slow it down. However, Grover kills the Hydra by pulling out Medusa's head and turning it to stone.
Happy with their success, the group goes to the final pearl location: The Lotus Casino in Las Vegas. They make it to the casino, but they find that it is the lair of the Lotus-Eaters. Whenever you eat the Lotus plant, all you want to do is remain there, doing nothing else for all eternity. The group gets sucked into the Casino, but Percy hears Poseidon's voice again, and manages to wake up from his trance. He realizes what's going on when he meets a kid from 1971 playing pinball, and also manages to wake up Grover and Annabeth. They find the last Pearl (being used as a roulette ball), hijack another car, and escape.
Finally, they make their way to the gates of the Underworld. As it turns out, the depths of Hell are located beneath... Beverly Hills! Yeah, I wasn't really that surprised.
After traveling to Hades' palace, Percy, Annabeth, and Grover meet Persephone, who leads them to Hades (Steve Coogan). Hades says that he wants Zeus' bolt so that he can rule Olympus, as he's sick of living in the Underworld. Percy insists that he doesn't have the bolt, but Hades doesn't believe him, and threatens to destroy his mother, who suddenly appears. Percy throws aside his shield to see his mom, but it breaks open, revealing the lightning bolt inside. Yes, Luke stole the lightning bolt because he hated the gods for ignoring him, and wanted them to destroy themselves. He knew that the missing lightning bolt would cause a war, and that he could take over once the gods had wiped each other out.
Hades doesn't care about Luke though; he's just happy to have the bolt. Just as he's about to kill Percy, Persephone betrays her husband, and knocks him out with the lightning bolt. She knew that a war between the gods would cause her to lose any happiness she had left, leaving her only with Hades, who she hated. She gives the bolt back to Percy, but also points out that the group, with Sally now included, has only 3 Pearls for 4 people; someone will have to stay behind. Grover, as Percy's protector, volunteers, and the others use the Pearls to teleport to the Empire State Building to get to Mount Olympus.
However, Luke shows up with another pair of flying shoes and steals the lightning bolt again. Percy then uses his shoes to chase after Luke, which climaxes in Percy using the water from several water towers to pulverize Luke and throw him into the ocean. Percy and Annabeth then travel to Mount Olympus (Sally stays behind since she's mortal) and arrive with the lightning bolt a few seconds after the deadline. Zeus decides to let it slide, however, and peace reigns. Percy and Annabeth both get to talk to their parents, with Poseidon telling Percy that he regrets not being able to stay with him and Sally, but his godly responsibilities forced him to leave. Percy forgives his father, and the two shake hands.
The movie ends with Sally dropping Percy back off at Camp Half-Blood, saying that he belongs there. Percy finds Grover, who was released from the Underworld, and is ecstatic that after successfully "protecting" Percy, he is now a Senior Protector First Class (he also gets some very small horns). Chiron forgives Percy for running away, as heroes can train all they want, but in the end their instinct is what makes them a hero. Finally, Percy and Annabeth have another friendly duel, with Annabeth almost kissing Percy.
Shortly after the credits, we see Sally kicking Gabe out of her apartment. He wants to get a beer first, but sees the fridge is locked with a note on front: NOT TO BE OPENED UNDER ANY CONDITIONS! I MEAN IT! Percy. Gabe ignores the note, breaks the lock off, and opens the door to find the head of Medusa staring back at him.
Review:
If there is one thing I absolutely hate; it is movies that are adapted from books but don’t follow the plot of the book. This movie is a classic example of how Hollywood took a book and trashed its storyline and character plot for the sake of a few quick bucks. The only thing that stuck was the characters. Everything else was just downright bullshit.
You have to remember that this is my personal blog so all opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect the views of others.
I would have loved to see the movie follow the plot of the book well, but it just disappointed from the very beginning. The book series has an amazing plot and sub-plots that weave a tapestry of myth and legend with modern day characters. The idea that a dread god of ancient times is seeking revenge on his children is exciting to say the least.
In the movie, the main culprit is Luke, son of Hermes. He only stole the lightning bolt just so he could get the gods to destroy themselves; this because they (the gods) were expressly forbidden by Zeus from seeing and interacting with their children.
In the book, the Big Three (Zeus, Poseidon, Hades) had children of their own each with their own problems. In the movie, the only child of a Big Three was Percy. There was no mention of Thalia or even the reason why the camp was called Half Blood Camp (in reference to Thalia’s sacrifice not to the half bloods residing in the camp). Then there’s the whole campsite picture, I would have loved to see Dionysus as camp director and the picture of a modern camp as portrayed in the book. In the bloody movie, it’s just a step into the past; grungy and cramped.
Now let’s get away from my distaste with the plot, and talk about something else for a change. Let’s begin with casting. I’d have to say that the cast for the movie was pretty good. When I saw on Wikipedia that the book was being adapted for film I wanted to find out who was playing what. Pierce Brosnan as the centaur Chiron was pretty good; Uma Thurman played Medusa and she rocked my socks. The casting for the Gods was pretty lame in my books. Poseidon and Zeus looked like middle aged men in the midst of a mid-life crisis. The descriptions in the book gave the impression that they were a little older than that. Now if Pierce Brosnan played Zeus or Poseidon that would have been even way better.
But I guess there’s no crying over spilt milk. As far as an adaptation goes, this movie is good for those who never read the book or even knew that there was a book because the movie just doesn’t give the book justice.
That’s the way I see it.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Questions... about life... about death
Is it today little bird?
Has the time come?
Will today be the day when it all changes?
Am I ready, little bird?
Have I prepared enough?
Will I recognize the moment when it comes?
Time has flown by
Seconds passing into minutes
Then hours and days
Years overtake me
And here I stand
Waiting
With baited breathe
What will it be like, little bird?
What awaits me around this corner?
Will I remain strong or will I faint in its wake?
This endless waiting
For the inevitable
Tears at me
Leaving me hanging by the threads
Of what’s left to my sanity
Yet still I wait
And wait
And wait
And ask again
Is it today little bird?
Am I ready, little bird?
What will it be like, little bird?
Life… death… which is it little bird?
Has the time come?
Will today be the day when it all changes?
Am I ready, little bird?
Have I prepared enough?
Will I recognize the moment when it comes?
Time has flown by
Seconds passing into minutes
Then hours and days
Years overtake me
And here I stand
Waiting
With baited breathe
What will it be like, little bird?
What awaits me around this corner?
Will I remain strong or will I faint in its wake?
This endless waiting
For the inevitable
Tears at me
Leaving me hanging by the threads
Of what’s left to my sanity
Yet still I wait
And wait
And wait
And ask again
Is it today little bird?
Am I ready, little bird?
What will it be like, little bird?
Life… death… which is it little bird?
Friday, March 19, 2010
I lie in darkness... listening
I lie in darkness
Listening to the wind shaking the trees
I lie in darkness
Listening to the rain drum on tin roofs
I lie in darkness
Listening to the storm raging round me
I lie in darkness
And all I hear is nature’s fury
No cars running
No horns beeping
No TV’s blasting
Nothing human heard
Just the sounds of the wind and rain
Of lashing trees and creaking houses
Things breaking and crashing
Falling apart
I lie in darkness… listening
Listening to the wind shaking the trees
I lie in darkness
Listening to the rain drum on tin roofs
I lie in darkness
Listening to the storm raging round me
I lie in darkness
And all I hear is nature’s fury
No cars running
No horns beeping
No TV’s blasting
Nothing human heard
Just the sounds of the wind and rain
Of lashing trees and creaking houses
Things breaking and crashing
Falling apart
I lie in darkness… listening
Hurricane Watch
So there’s a hurricane in development as I’m typing this post. Probably by the time it’s posted, the whole natural disaster would have passed us over and the relief work would have begun. I’m also hoping that when this post is uploaded, I’ll expect to be in Suva for the Together We Can project training. However it’s dependant on whether the branch can handle the relief work without the peer educators who will be in Suva.
Right now, I’m on standby and awaiting the call from our branch president or from the Labasa Branch for the disaster response team to go out and assess the damage as well as begin the logistical preparations for relief and assistance. This is my first disaster where I will be a part of the disaster response team on the ground. I’ve signed up for administration and logistical support during disasters so that’s where I’ll hope to be of most use since I’m not physically able to help at disaster sites.
Right now, the weather is slowly changing and the wind is picking up speed. What we’re hearing on the radio is that there are two different tropical cyclones headed for Vanua Levu; one from the North East and another from the North West. The danger here is that they could combine into one freak hurricane. Already it’s being predicted that this hurricane would be worser than Hurricane Bebe that hit Fiji in the 1970’s. That hurricane was the worst to hit us so far and this new one could top Bebe in every way.
We’re just waiting and watching. I’m lucky right now that the electricity is still on and that I can spend time typing out posts when I’m bored and in need of stress relief. A bonus for me is that I managed to pen two new poems, one is entitled: Questions… about life… about death; and the other is The Day will return. They are both good poems and I’m seeing a change and development in my writing style. You can be the judge of that when I’ve uploaded them onto this blog. This is it for now in Hurricane Watch; see you on the other side of the storm.
Right now, I’m on standby and awaiting the call from our branch president or from the Labasa Branch for the disaster response team to go out and assess the damage as well as begin the logistical preparations for relief and assistance. This is my first disaster where I will be a part of the disaster response team on the ground. I’ve signed up for administration and logistical support during disasters so that’s where I’ll hope to be of most use since I’m not physically able to help at disaster sites.
Right now, the weather is slowly changing and the wind is picking up speed. What we’re hearing on the radio is that there are two different tropical cyclones headed for Vanua Levu; one from the North East and another from the North West. The danger here is that they could combine into one freak hurricane. Already it’s being predicted that this hurricane would be worser than Hurricane Bebe that hit Fiji in the 1970’s. That hurricane was the worst to hit us so far and this new one could top Bebe in every way.
We’re just waiting and watching. I’m lucky right now that the electricity is still on and that I can spend time typing out posts when I’m bored and in need of stress relief. A bonus for me is that I managed to pen two new poems, one is entitled: Questions… about life… about death; and the other is The Day will return. They are both good poems and I’m seeing a change and development in my writing style. You can be the judge of that when I’ve uploaded them onto this blog. This is it for now in Hurricane Watch; see you on the other side of the storm.
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